MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
I founded Step Into My Shoes in order to help young people reach their full potential. I am fortunate to have had a mentor throughout my life to help me uncover possibilities for both personal and professional growth. Together, we devised invaluable strategies to attain my goals which included investing energy and effort into calculated risk and action. Too often, young people miss out on deserving opportunities because they are poorly advised or lack a belief in themselves. I am on a mission to help them thrive, and ensure they embrace and enjoy the journey along the way.
Sarah Norris, Founder of Step Into My Shoes
Founder and Managing Director
Sarah is the managing director of Step Into My Shoes and a strong advocate for British higher education having completed her undergraduate degree and MBA in the UK. She has extensive admissions experience and advises British and International students and families on the application process. Sarah conducts higher education seminars all over the world, many of which are hosted by leading international and independent schools, and is regularly invited to attend and contribute to working sessions and conferences on admissions with networks of schools including the Ark Network and United Learning. Sarah is also engaged by like-minded multinational corporations such as Allen & Overy, ARUP & AHMM to teach students how to gain a competitive edge when applying to higher education and competitive careers. She is the lead consultant advising on an annual advanced enrichment scheme with London Business School across four London based day schools. Sarah is a contributing writer for International Parent Magazine delivering articles and guidance on university admissions to the parent community. Her commitment is to all young people.
Education:
London School of Economics & Political Science (Bsc Econ) / London Business School/Stern School of Business (MBA)
Chris
Course Director & Lead Instructor
Chris is responsible for designing our admissions test courses and is also the lead instructor on certain courses. He works with a small team of experts determining the format and content of each course so as to optimise the students' chances of success. In addition to admissions test preparation, Chris has extensive experience of teaching both Maths and Physics to A-Level and undergraduate students. This places him in a unique position to understand the common ground across the school curriculum and identify the additional competencies necessary to achieve a high score in the relevant entrance exams. Chris has won prizes both in his academic work and his spare time. During his PhD, he won a prestigious Bright Ideas grant whereby his research group were awarded just under a quarter of a million pounds to further their work. His contributions to a crowdsourcing website for ideas on technology have lead not only to prize money but also to a pitch to Samsung.
Education:
University of Oxford (MPhys Physics) / Open University (PhD Quantum Computing)
Stas
Lead Instructor
Stas has many years of experience tutoring and preparing students for admissions tests, having worked for several top-end tuition agencies for 8 years and a private school in West London. He runs "Maths Circles" - conversational maths groups for exploring maths outside the school syllabus. Beyond the classroom, he is involved in several other education-related activities. He runs a podcast on education called Education Bookcast which surveys research on education.
In his spare time, he enjoys learning foreign languages, and currently speaks seven conversationally, including Mandarin and Persian.
Education:
University of Cambridge, Trinity College (BA and MEng)
Abigail
Lead Instructor
Abi has extensive experience mentoring and preparing students to read law at university. This includes applications into Oxbridge and preparation for their respective law admissions tests and interviews. Abi has an excellent track record with 100 % of her students attaining a place for law every year, with 90% getting their first or second choice. Abi also encourages her students to get the most out of university life by drawing on personal experience. While attending the University of Cambridge, Abi was Vice President of the Law Society and also very accomplished in Mooting having participated in and won her Annual College Moot.
In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and engaging in meaningful outreach and community projects providing pro bono legal assistance.
Education:
University of Cambridge, BA (Law)
Tom
Lead Instructor
Tom mentors students through the arduous medicine application process including preparing for the relevant entrance exams (BMAT, UCAT). Last year, he tutored 4 students for medicine - 2 received offers at Oxford and 2 at Cambridge. Besides getting the best UCAT and BMAT scores in his cohort at Oxford , which included full marks in most sections of both tests, he has been hired to contribute hundreds of mock questions to private companies' question banks. He has tutored extensively throughout university on both a paid and voluntary basis and conducted a project during his undergraduate where he interviewed different professors at the University of Oxford about what they were looking for in potential applicants.
Tom has a wide range of academic interests and has strong research experience in infectious diseases, neuroscience, sociology and economics.
Education:
University of Oxford, BA in Medical Sciences - Medicine - currently completing 5th year
Christopher
Lead Instructor
Christopher has over 500 hours of experience teaching Latin and Greek to students of all ages. He read Classics at Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar, taking a Double-First in his MA and a Distinction in his subsequent M.Phil. He then undertook postgraduate work in the US and presented his research at a conference in Cyprus. When he is not tutoring, Christopher works for a Member of Parliament and also sings semi-professionally with various choirs.
Education:
University of Cambridge, BA & M.Phil in Classics
Jessica
Lead Instructor
Jessica has been teaching entrance test preparation for 20 years having started her career with The Princeton Review. She is an expert on critical reasoning and thinking tests. Jessica has taught in American, International and English schools. She is currently a full time teacher at one of the UK's most prestigious boarding schools where she also provides specific entrance test support.
Education:
St John's Annapolis, USA (Liberal Arts)
Abi
Lead Instructor
Abi began her training at the University of Oxford in 2007 as an undergraduate at St Hilda’s College where she obtained a first class degree. She is now an academic clinical fellow in General Practice at the University. She collaborates with other academics on a number of projects ranging from whooping cough to infection in the elderly population.
Education:
University of Oxford, Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Medical Sciences – 1st Class
R.S
Lead Instructor
R.S is a graduate from the University of Oxford. He is also a former Admissions Tutor while at the University of Oxford. While completing his PhD at Oxford, he was engaged by the University to conduct interviews for undergraduate student applicants for a period of four years. This included designing questions to test students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills during interview and executing the in-person interview.
Education:
University of Oxford, MChem & PhD
Leo
Lead Instructor
Leo is a graduate from Imperial College. At school he achieved A*s in his A-level Maths and Further Maths, as well as Gold in the UK Senior Maths Challenge. While at school, he frequently gave maths presentations presenting maths as an exciting subject rather than the cultural misrepresentation of mathematics as a rather difficult and dull task. He teaches Maths in a way that is engaging and easy to understand, and equally importantly, helps students succeed on their admissions tests. He has conducted multiple research projects around areas of interest which include divergent series, functional analysis and complex dynamics. Leo achieved a First Class honours degree in Mathematics.
Education:
Imperial College, BSc, Mathematics
N.W
Lead Instructor
NW holds a BA from Harvard University and a graduate degree from the University of Oxford. He has developed syllabi to teach both the SAT and ACT and has an impressive proven track record for high point increases with his clients across both tests. He has also won a prize for excellence in exam performance.
Education:
Harvard University, University of Oxford
K.P
Lead Instructor
KP holds a BA from Harvard University and graduate degree from the University of Oxford. In addition to being a skilled writer and editor, she brings a flair of creativity and originality to her role as an advisor to students seeking admission to US colleges.
Education:
Harvard University, University of Oxford
Maggie Lee
Advisor
Maggie Lee has extensive knowledge of the private and public US educational system. She completed all of her own education in the US. Prior to her current role as a management consultant, Maggie taught and tutored students extensively around admissions. She was recruited for her high GMAT score and had a 100% success rate amongst her students. She also spent a year in Burkino Faso teaching school children as part of the Peace Corps.
Education:
Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania
MBA (Master of Business Administration)
Lauder Institute at University of Pennsylvania
Master of Arts, International Studies (French focus)
Ripon College
Bachelor of Arts: French and Business Management
Jerry Jarvis
Advisor
Jerry Jarvis is an authority on UK education. Since his tenure at the helm of Edexcel, the major examination board, he now consults for enterprises in education and technology. He also delivers motivational seminars to a range of audiences from corporate management teams to schools. Jerry has been instrumental in developing highly effective professional training programmes with a focus on strategic preparation and lateral thinking about how to be successful in the competitive university admissions process and industry recruitment. Jerry has a reputation for strong leadership that drives people’s motivation, purpose and behaviour.
Education:
Kirkcaldy Tech College
Engineering
Open Society Institute:
Msc Management and Technology